Tag Archives: South China Morning Post

Many thanks to all of you who have written reviews of Stranger In My Heart on Amazon and Goodreads. If you haven’t written one yet – please don’t forget – it really helps. You don’t have to write an essay and you can be perfectly honest in your opinion – I just need the reviews to support the publicity for the book.

In case you missed it, an interview with me was featured in Bath Life mag. Click the link and go to the last page (p162) to see it. I am told that they will be publishing photos from the launch party in the next issue. The Bath Chronicle will also be featuring the book in their Weekend mag but I’m not sure when. Next month there will be a feature in the Shropshire Magazine and I will give more details when I have them.

At the weekend I made some lovely global connections. On Saturday my aunt Jenny told me that Major Paddy Crowe, who Dad mentions in his story about meeting the Japanese Commander during his incarceration, was her uncle! Sadly Major Crowe remained in PoW camp for the rest of the war and suffered terribly as a result. But what a small world! On Sunday the South China Morning Post printed a 5 page extract from my book – the chapter on the battle. With masses of pictures. They have a circulation of close to 100,000 in Hong Kong and online readers around the world. The ‘long read’ article has already been widely shared. It’s so thrilling!

The launch party for Stranger In My Heart at the Apex Hotel in Bath was a great success. I felt truly honoured by everyone who came and it was a treat to meet the ‘next generations’ of men who had fought or escaped with Dad at Hong Kong. I was so pleased to be able to introduce this ‘extended family’ as well as the son of Dad’s Chinese interpreter, Jane Cordingley (who planted the seed of the book in my mind) and my own extended family. Other VIP guests included the Right Worshipful Mayor of Bath, my local Councillor and the Commanding Officer of 19th Regiment Royal Artillery (19RA).

Cllr Shelford & Col Beaumont

Even though most people at the party had pre-ordered copies of the book, lots of people wanted to buy extra copies for friends and family and I spent a happy hour signing books. I think the Riding for the Disabled Association is going to get a nice big donation out of this!

Latest news is that Stranger In My Heart will be mentioned this week in Country Life Magazine and there will be an excerpt about Dad’s escape in the South China Morning Post’s Sunday Magazine. The Bath Chronicle Weekend Magazine and Bath Life are both featuring stories about the book in the next few weeks, so keep an eye open for those.